Material excavating and conveying machine



June 17, 1930. w, HUFFMAN 1,763,786

MATERIAL EXCAVATING AND CONVEYING MACHINE Filed April 10, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 A iiomey June 17, 1930. w, M, HUFFMAN 1,763,786

MATERIAL EXCAVATING AND CONVEYING MACHINE Filed April 10. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 By z 5 53,.

Attorney June 17, 1930.

W. M. HUFFMAN MATERIAL EXGAVATING AND CONVEYING MACHINE Filed April 10, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Attorney Patented June 17, 1930 Unirsn stares PATENT orrics WILLIAM MONROE HUFFMAN, OF KEN'IENIA, KENTUCKY MATERIAL EXCAVATING AND CONVEYING MACHINE Application filed April 10,

loading apparatus of the Jeffrey pit car loader type.

The gist of the invention is a novel mole head and burrowing device which is attached to the loading end of an endless conveyor such as is used on a pit car leader of the aforesaid Jeffrey type.

The improved device is characteristic in form and distinguishable in the art in that it includes a relatively stationary burrowing apron attached to the loading end of the endless conveyor and adapted to be forced beneath the material being acted on, together with a complemental and cooperative mole head for excavating, accumulating and loading the loosened material onto the loading end of the conveyor. I

These specific details and their. relative arrangement and association will become more readily apparent from the following description and drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the loading end of a conveyor equipped with the improved excavating and loading device as constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the structure seen in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view with portions broken away and shown in sections disclosing the particular construction and arrangement of the ex cavating and loading device.

Figure 4k is a sectional view taken approximately upon the plane of the line 4.i of

Figure 8.

Figure 5 is a central sectional View taken upon the plane of the line 55 of Figure 3. Figure 6 is an enlarged detailed View on the line 66 of Figure over a suitable pulley 11. Figure 5 the reference character 12 deslg- 1929. Serial No. 354,051.

The complete structure may be well seen in Figure 3 wherein it will be observed that the reference character 7 designates generally the frame of the conveyor which in practice is associated with a wheel supported car body '55 of the pit loader type already referred to, the details of the loading car constituting no part of the invention. Associated with this frame is an endless conveyor 8 including a a belt or the like 9 with cross retaining cleats 10. As seen in Figure 5 the belt is trained Also as seen in nates a part which may be conveniently designated as an apron, and excavating plate. The inner end portion 13 is attached to the frame of the conveyor in any suitable manner and the projecting portion is bowed forwardly and downwardly and terminates in a beveled undercutting edge 14. At longitudinally spaced points this apron is provided with transverse slots 15. Cooperable with and relatively movable with respect to this apron is a mole head generally designated by the reference character 16 and comprising a body of general right angular configuration. It includes a body portion 17 carrying a toothed cutter bar 18 which rides on the apron 14:. In addition it includes a right angular flanged portion 19 providing a shoulder behind which the material accumulates duringthe reciprocatory motion of the mole head 16 from the full line position to the dotted line position shown in Figure i. This mole head carries longitudinally bowed vcover plates in the form of-right angular brackets 20 which cover the slots 15 when the head is moved forward or to the undercutting andexcavating position seen in dotted lines in Figure 4:. This mole head is provided at its opposite ends with attaching brackets 21 carrying antifriction rollers 22 en aging the under side of the apron. The brackets are so designed as to permit'pivotal connection at 23 with the reciprocatory operating rod 24. These rods 'areenclosed in a housing or casing 25 as seen in Figure 2 and extend rearwardly and connect with crank arms 26 on the opera-tingshaft. The operating shaft V is equipped with a sprocket 27' over which a sprocket chain 28 is trained. Thus reciprocatory motion is imparted to the mole head at opposite sides of the conveyor frame in an obvious manner permitting the mole head to move back and forth beneath the hill of material as indicated in dotted lines by the reference character 29 in Figure 4.

In operation it is understood that the conveyor and its carrying frame are n'iouutcd upon the usual wheeled pit loading car which travels on a track in a manner not shown. This car is moved toward and against the load 29 of the material to be acted upon. Thus the cutting end 1% of tie apron 12 is forced beneath the material and the mole head 16 is reciprocated back and forth. On the forward stroke it digs in, and on the return stroke it drags the loosened material back over the apron and onto the loading end of the conveyor 8. The result is that the material is carried upwardly and enters into a car or other suitable source of deposit. The gist of the idea is in the continuous movement of the cutting end 14 of the apron l2 again t the load of material and the relative reciprocatory motion of the mole head which excavates and loads.

From the foregoing description and drawings it will be seen that I have evolved and produced a simple, inexpensive, and practicable structure which will fulfill the requirements of an apparatus of this class in a highly satisfactory manner. It is thought too that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the same after considering the description in conjunction with the drawings, therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded unnecessary.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. As a new product of manufacture, an attachment for the loading end of a conveyor frame of the class described comprising a longitudinally extending curved apron adapted to be fixedly mounted on the frame, said apron being provided adjacent its opposite ends with longitudinally elongated guide slots, and having its working edge formed into a cutting edge to burrow beneath the material being acted on, and a mole head slidably mounted for transverse eciprocation on said apron and including operating brackets extending through said slots, together with operating means connected with said brackets.

2. An attachmentfor the loading end of a conveyor frame of the class described comprising a longitudinally elongated curved plate functioning as a guiding and excavating apron, said plate adapted to be fixedly mounted on the loading end of said frame and being provided with a cutting edge and adjacent its opposite end with lon itudinally elongated guide slots, 21 mole head mounted for reciprocation on said plates and comprising a substantially right angular body whose forward end is provided with a toothed cutting bar cooperable with the upper side of said plates, and brackets carried by said mole head and including portions extending slidably through said slots to permit connection of reciprocatory operating means thereto.

3. An attachment for the loading end of a conveyor frame of the class described comprising a longitudinally elongated curved plate functioning as a guiding and excavating apron, said plate adapted to be fixedly nounted oil-the loading end of said frame, and being provided with a cutting edge and adjacent its opposite end with longitudinally elongated guide slots, a mole head mounted for reciprocation on said plates and comprising a suliistantiall right angular body whose forward end is provided with a toothed cutting bar cooperable with the upper side of said plates. an d brackets carried by said mole head and including portions extending slidahly through said slots to permit connection of reeiprocatory operating means thereto, said brackets being provided with anti frictie-n rollers cooperable with the under side of the apron, and cover plates carried by said mole head and coope able with said slots.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM MONROE HUFFMAN. 

